Marsa Alam
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Overview
In-the-know divers have been heading to Marsa Alam for years, attracted to the seas that offer up some of Egypt’s best diving just off the rugged coastline. Despite this, the far-flung destination stayed well off the tourism radar for a long time. While the town itself remains a quiet, nondescript place, the strip of coast to its north and south has been snapped up by eager developers and is now home to a plethora of resorts and half-built hotels.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Marsa Alam
This lagoon 18km south-east of Marsa Alam is home to three dive sites with a reef system full of interesting coral pinnacles and fish life. What makes…
Marsa Alam
North of Marsa Alam, Elphinstone has steep reef walls covered with soft corals and is washed by strong currents that make it ideal for spotting sharks –…
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Marsa Alam
Founded in 275 BC by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Berenice was one of the most important harbours and trading posts on the Red Sea coast from about the 3rd to…
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Marsa Alam
Atop an inshore reef 60km north of Berenice lies the wreck of this 65m-long cargo ship. Lying on its side in just 14m of water, Hamada is a fairly easy,…
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Marsa Alam
Horseshoe-shaped Sataya, 50km north of Berenice, is the main reef of the Fury Shoals, and has steep walls leading down to a sandy slope scattered with a…
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Marsa Alam
A sandy island east of Berenice, Rocky Island has a range of dive possibilities, including a 25m drop off the east side of the island. Plenty of coral and…
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Marsa Alam
Impressive topography and excellent marine life (hammerheads, barracuda, groper and yellowmouth moray eels) mark this large, kidney-shaped offshore reef…
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